Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Don't let your shocks shock you!

This may be a
shock… but your car’s shock absorbers are more important than you think.
They’re vital to the safety of your vehicle on the road, but often
misunderstood and neglected.

Your
steering, stability, handling, brakes and overall comfort on the road all rely
on your shock absorbers being in top condition. The shocks and struts are key
parts of the suspension system and need to be checked regularly and thoroughly
to help maintain good vehicle safety and control.

Some of the
problems caused can have potentially disastrous effects when you're on the road.

Worn shock
absorbers can reduce your stopping distance dramatically, sometimes by as much
as 20%.

Impacts on
the general handling of your vehicle can make it hard to avoid something on the
road and cause you to lose control of the vehicle if you have to swerve in a
hurry. Worn suspension can also mean that your vehicle veers to one side when
braking, or even just swerves under light winds and can even ‘nose dive’.

If you’re
hearing rattles or just strange vibrations when using the steering wheel, that
can also mean that your shock absorbers are tired and need replacing.

It will also
wear your tyres uneven, which is one of the causes of excessive tyre noise and
premature tyre wear with unexpected bald patches.

As a rule
shock absorbers last for about 100,000km to 130,000km depending on driving
conditions such as where you drive, the weather and the loads you carry in your
vehicle.

But it’s in
our nature to get used to things, so as the suspension gets soft over time a
driver

will get used to the rattles and swerves and just carry on driving.

It’s
recommended that you have the parts checked for signs of wear every 20,000km or
so, however you can rest assured that at Cooper Automotive we inspect your
suspension for wear with every service.

You’ll be
shocked at the difference in your vehicle if you’ve been ignoring your shocks
and struts too long!